Ed Hawkins says RCB are a swerve at odds-on but says the Aussie bat should be shorter for most runs from Bengaluru on Saturday...
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Bengaluru surface has been flat
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Read about Ed's Betfair Exchange strategy below
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Titans
Saturday 4 May, 15:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Titans team news
Bangalore need to win all their remaining games by big margins and hope results elsewhere go their way to qualify. They have won their last two including last time out against Titans when they chased 201 with nine wickets to spare thanks to an unbeaten ton from Will Jacks.
Probable XI: Kohli, Du Plessis, jacks, Patidar, Maxwell, Green, Karthik, Karn, Siraj, Dayal, Swapnil/Rawat (subs)
Gujarat are also playing knockout cricket. They need a bit more of a wicket-taking threat from Rashid Khan who has eight in ten. They remain the slowest batting team in the tournament and with very few options to do anything about it.
Probable XI: Saha, Gill, Sai, Shahrukh, Miller, Omarzai, Tewatia, Rashid, Kishore, Mohit, Noor
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Titans pitch report
Sunrisers smashed 287 at Bengaluru last time out. The previous highest score this season in three was 181. Historically, of course, the surface is flat but with Gujarat scoring at a rate of just 8.3 shorting a par line of 200.5 if they bat first might not be the craziest idea.
Bangalore are 1.824/5 given their resurgent form. But it is a golden rule of IPL betting that they are to be taken on when odds-on.
Despite back-to-back wins they remain hugely unconvincing, particularly with the ball. One wouldn't feel confident about Bangalore keeping things tight in a chase for example and they represent a solid mug wager here. Avoid.
That should inform our in-play strategy. In an ideal world Bangalore bat first on a flat wicket and they are cut significantly at the break.
We could then wager on Titans to make a decent fist of a chase of, say 200-220. Bangalore's bowling economy of 10.4 really should keep the visitors keen.
Virat Kohli is 21/103.10 for top RCB bat but Jacks gets a 4/15.00 quote. We are still keen on Cameron Green for runs and the 11/112.00 looks toppy on win rate and ability. For Titans, Shubman Gill is 21/103.10 jolly but the value could be Shahrukh Khan at 11/26.50 given that he could bat at No 3.
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